REGION: Project provides gifts for children

It's something the volunteers who gather gifts to fill the
shoeboxes know ---- Operation Christmas Child stands out amid all
the reassuring charity of the holiday season.

The operation is aptly named, as it features a huge number of
helpers delivering "Christmas" to impoverished children worldwide,
in what they say is the largest such Christian gift-giving
effort.

It consists of gifts placed in decorated shoeboxes and whisked
away via boat, plane, camel and seemingly whatever vehicle
necessary to find difficult-to-reach children. Gift-givers can even
track their load of presents if they register online.

Donors are asked to fill the shoe boxes with gifts that a child
would enjoy ---- such as small stuffed animals, non-perishable
candy, T-shirts, ball caps, hair clips and toy jewelry ---- and
then place a small rubber band around the box and drop it off at
Rancho Community Church in Temecula or Cornerstone Church in
Wildomar the week of Nov. 16.

The effort is part of an operation orchestrated by the
international relief and evangelical group Samaritan's Purse. Since
1993, more than 69 million gifts have been delivered to children in
130 countries.

Gretchen Bushner of Temecula, an area project coordinator, said
she got involved after joining Rancho Community Church about four
years ago and seeing all the gift-making parties and other
activity. But her real motivation stems from three recent trips to
Africa on missions to minister to children with AIDS, she said.

"The children touch your heart," Bushner said. "There are
children all over the world who can use help."

About 10 volunteers at Rancho Community help orchestrate, she
added, aside from those who bring gifts. One property management
company puts together 100 boxes each year, she said, and Girl
Scouts, private schools, churches and others always come through,
too.

Bushner said she's heard details of the reactions of some of the
people who have received the gifts over the years.

"The stories make you tear up," she said. "They often don't have
comfort items and this is the only way they know that someone in
the world cares about them."

At Rancho, gifts are accepted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays;
6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. At
Cornerstone, donation times are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 11
a.m. to 4 p.m. that weekend.